This deliciously soft matcha pound cake made with Greek yogurt is perfect for breakfast or as a snack. It also packs a surprise on the inside!

Stuffed pound cake? Why not? Pound cake is delicious on its own, but you can bring it to the next level by adding stuffing! Because matcha and red bean is one of my favorite combinations, I present to you a matcha pound cake stuffed with red bean paste and roasted chestnuts. It’s a very hearty cake that has a variety of flavors. Matcha powder, red bean paste, and chestnuts are all classic Japanese ingredients, so this pound cake is certainly Japanese-inspired. This pound cake uses non-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and still remains soft and creamy.

I enjoy eating the pound cake for breakfast or as a snack, and it pairs so well with coffee or tea. The cake is not overly sweet by itself since the red bean paste is quite sweet. I used a good amount of matcha powder so the matcha flavor is pretty noticeable. The red bean paste is made of cooked red beans with sweetener, which may sound odd, but is tasty and very nutritious. Canned red bean paste can be purchased or you may make your own! I enjoy making my own by purchasing red (adzuki) beans in bulk and cooking it in the instant pot for 28 min on high pressure. My red bean paste recipe can be found HERE.

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Stuffed Red Bean Matcha Pound Cake

yield: 9 x 5 ” loaf

total cook time: 1 hr. 30 min.

Ingredients:

• 230 g. cake flour
• 2 g. salt
• 1 g. baking soda
• 1 tsp. matcha powder
• 285 g. granulated sugar
• 72 g. margarine, softened
• 225 g. Greek yogurt
• 2 g. vanilla extract
• 165 g. eggs (3 large eggs)
• 220 g. red bean paste
• 8-10 roasted chestnuts

Directions:

1. Line a rectangular mold with parchment paper. I used a mini loaf pan mold, but if you do not have a mold, the red bean paste is sturdy enough to keep its shape by itself so you may shape the red bean paste by hand. Place half of the red bean paste in the rectangular mold and add in the roasted chestnuts in the middle. Add the rest of the red bean paste on top and press into the mold to make a rectangle. Use the parchment paper to help press down the paste and shape it. Place in the freezer for at least 20 min. Note: I used 2 rectangular molds instead of 1 long one. Either way is fine, just make sure the length of the red bean paste is not longer than the loaf pan.
   

   
2. Preheat oven to 330 F.
3. Combine the cake flour, salt, baking soda, and matcha powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, use an electric beater to cream together the softened margarine and sugar for 2 min. Add in the Greek yogurt and cream for about 30 sec. or until combined.
5. Add in the vanilla extract and eggs one by one with the beater on low speed. Beat until the mixture is combined.
6. Add in the flour mixture and stir with a hand whisk or spatula until combined.
7. Pour half of the batter into a lined loaf pan and bake for 25 min.
8. After 25 min, take out the pan and add in the frozen red bean paste. The red bean paste should be hardened but not completely frozen. When you press the red bean paste down in the middle of the loaf, uncooked batter will ooze out which is what we want. Pour the rest of the batter over the top.
   

   

   
9. Place the loaf back in the oven and bake for an additional 35-45 min. If the top of the loaf is already brown but the cake is not completely baked, place a piece of foil over the pan.
10. Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 min. before eating.

*Nutrition Facts are estimates